President Donald Trump has removed the final members of the bipartisan, independent federal commission responsible for assisting election administration across the United States. The move, which comes just months before the upcoming midterm elections, involved the departure of the commission’s remaining three members on Thursday.
The removal process occurred through different channels: the lone Republican appointee resigned, while the two Democratic commissioners were notified of their immediate termination via email from the White House presidential personnel office. The termination notice, which was reviewed by Reuters, stated: “On behalf of President Donald J Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service.” The White House did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment regarding the decision.
The Election Assistance Commission serves as a critical national clearinghouse for election administration information. Its duties include certifying voting systems, accrediting testing laboratories, and maintaining the national mail-voter registration form established by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. These recent terminations follow a period of active advocacy by the Trump administration to alter vote-by-mail requirements, as well as ongoing investigations into the 2020 election results.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes criticized the administration’s actions in a statement on Thursday, describing the move as “irresponsible and dangerous.” Fontes warned that the administration appears committed to creating chaos for election officials nationwide, arguing that the decision undermines the integrity of nonpartisan election administration.
While the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which created the commission, grants the president the authority to appoint replacements, it remains unclear how the administration intends to proceed with the future of the commission.
